Modular compaction boring machine system

Abstract

A modular compaction boring device. The boring device comprises a compaction boring head which creates a borehole through a subsurface by operation of a thruster and a rear and forward anchor. Extension of the thruster while the rear anchors are engaged move the boring head forward. Retraction of the thruster while the forward anchors are engaged brings the rear anchors forward for an addition stroke. A steering geometry in the boring head and rotation of the boring head allow steering of the boring device. Steering, thrust, and anchors may be controlled remotely through an umbilical cable pulled through the borehole by the boring device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A compaction boring device comprising:
 a frame comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is reciprocally moveable axially relative to the second end; 
 an extendable anchor supported within the frame extendable from a first position to a second position; 
 a boring head connected to the first end of the frame; and 
 wherein the first end of the frame is rotatable relative to the second end to manipulate an orientation of the head. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the anchor secures a position of the second end relative to the subsurface when in the second position. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 2  comprising a second extendable anchor supported within the frame extendable from a first position to a second position, wherein the second extendable anchor secures a position of the first end relative to the subsurface when in the second position. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the frame further comprises a thrust module comprising:
 a rod comprising a splined exterior; 
 a sleeve comprising a grooved interior, herein the grooved interior transmits torque to the splined exterior of the rod and the sleeve is movable axially relative to the rod; and 
 a screw drive to move the rod relative to the sleeve. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the boring head comprises a slanted face. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a cable having a first end and a second end, wherein the cable is attached at the first end to the second end of the frame and at the second end to a power source. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a navigational sensor located on the frame, the navigational sensor comprising an orientation sensor and a magnetic field source. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus for boring through a subsurface comprising:
 a modular compaction boring device comprising:
 a boring head to compress the subsurface; 
 a first anchor; 
 a second anchor in which the boring head is rotatable relative to the second anchor and nonrotatable relative to the first anchor; and 
 a thrust module comprising a thrust member disposed between the first anchor and the second anchor, and a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is moveable relative to the second section to push the head in response to operation of the thrust section. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first anchor is supported on the first section. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising a rotation module to rotate the boring head relative to the second anchor. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the boring head comprises a steering geometry. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the steering geometry comprises a slanted face. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 11  wherein the modular compaction boring device further comprises an orientation sensor to detect a bearing of the boring head. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein the rotation module is operable in a first direction and in a second direction. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising an umbilical cable comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the modular compaction boring device. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the umbilical cable is connected to a controller at the second end. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the modular compaction boring device further comprises a magnetic field source proximate the boring head and an above ground receiver in communication with the controller, wherein the above ground receiver detects the magnetic field. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the thrust member comprises a screw drive, wherein operation of the screw drive in a first direction moves the first section of the thrust module away from the second section of the thrust module. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first anchor comprises at least two extendable anchor arms movable between a first position and a second position. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the at least two extendable anchor arms are independently extendable. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 8  wherein the first anchor and second anchor exert a force on the subsurface having a component which is parallel to a length of the modular compaction boring device when the thrust module is not moving. 
     
     
       22. A method for advancing a tool through a subsurface comprising:
 orienting a boring head by rotating a first end of the tool relative to a second end of the tool without thrust; 
 extending a first anchor; 
 longitudinally extending the tool; 
 extending a second anchor; 
 retracting the first anchor; and 
 longitudinally retracting the tool. 
 
     
     
       23. The method of  claim 22  wherein the tool is extended by a screw drive disposed between the first anchor and the second anchor. 
     
     
       24. The method of  claim 23  wherein the second anchor is proximate the boring head. 
     
     
       25. The method of  claim 22  further comprising providing a known steering geometry to the boring head. 
     
     
       26. The method of  claim 25  further comprising steering the tool by extending the tool. 
     
     
       27. The method of  claim 25  further comprising steering the tool straight by rotating the tool during thrust. 
     
     
       28. The method of  claim 25  further comprising dithering the boring head. 
     
     
       29. The method of  claim 22  further comprising:
 transmitting a magnetic field from a magnetic field source proximate the boring head; and 
 detecting a position of the magnetic field source from an above ground location. 
 
     
     
       30. The method of  claim 22  further comprising detecting slip between the first anchor and the subsurface. 
     
     
       31. The method of  claim 22  further comprising providing direct current power to extend the first anchor, extend the second anchor, extend the tool and retract the tool. 
     
     
       32. The method of  claim 22  wherein extending the second anchor creates a footprint in the subsurface. 
     
     
       33. The method of  claim 32  further comprising extending the first anchor into the footprint created by the second anchor. 
     
     
       34. An apparatus for boring through a subsurface comprising:
 a modular compaction boring device comprising:
 a forward anchor module comprising an extendable anchor arm; 
 an aft anchor module comprising an extendable anchor arm in which the forward anchor module is rotatable relative to the aft anchor module; 
 an extendable and retractable thrust module disposed between the forward anchor module and the aft anchor module; and 
 a rotatable boring head disposed proximate the forward anchor module; 
 
 an electrical power source; 
 a controller for directing extension of the extendable anchor arm of the forward anchor module and the aft anchor module, directing extension and retraction of the thrust module, and rotation of the boring head; and 
 an umbilical cable comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the umbilical cable provides power from the electrical power source to the modular compaction boring device. 
 
     
     
       35. The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the umbilical cable comprises a data communication cable disposed between the modular compaction boring device and the controller. 
     
     
       36. The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the rotatable boring head comprises a steering geometry. 
     
     
       37. The apparatus of  claim 34  wherein the thrust module defines a stroke length, and wherein the extendable anchor arm of the forward anchor module and the extendable anchor arm of the aft anchor module are spaced apart at a multiple of the stroke length. 
     
     
       38. The apparatus of  claim 34  further comprising a rotation module, wherein the rotation module causes relative rotation between the boring head and the aft anchor module. 
     
     
       39. The apparatus of  claim 38  wherein the rotation module and thrust module are independently operable. 
     
     
       40. A compaction boring device comprising:
 a frame comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is reciprocally moveable axially relative to the second end, and wherein the frame defines a window; 
 an extendable anchor supported within the frame extendable from a first position to a second position wherein the extendable anchor is entirely disposed within the frame in the first position and protrudes from the window in the second position; 
 a boring head connected to the first end of the frame; and 
 wherein the first end of the frame is rotatable relative to the second end to manipulate an orientation of the head. 
 
     
     
       41. A compaction boring device comprising:
 a frame comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is reciprocally moveable axially relative to the second end; 
 an extendable anchor supported within the frame extendable from a first position to a second position; 
 a boring head connected to the first end of the frame wherein the first end of the frame is rotatable relative to the second end to manipulate an orientation of the head; and 
 a wedge and an anchor actuator, wherein the anchor actuator is disposed between the frame and the wedge and movable from a first position to a second position such that the wedge directly contacts the extendable anchor to extend the extendable anchor when in the second position. 
 
     
     
       42. An apparatus for boring through a subsurface comprising:
 a modular compaction boring device comprising:
 a forward anchor module comprising, an extendable anchor arm; 
 an aft anchor module comprising an extendable anchor arm; 
 an extendable and retractable thrust module disposed between the forward anchor module and the aft anchor module wherein the thrust module defines a stroke length, and wherein the extendable anchor arm of the forward anchor module and the extendable anchor arm of the aft anchor module are spaced apart at a multiple of the stroke length; and 
 a rotatable boring head disposed proximate the forward anchor module; 
 
 an electrical power source; 
 a controller for directing extension of the extendable anchor arm of the forward anchor module and the aft anchor module, directing extension and retraction of the thrust module, and rotation of the boring head; and 
 an umbilical cable comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the umbilical cable provides power from the electrical power source to the modular compaction boring device. 
 
     
     
       43. An apparatus for boring through a subsurface comprising:
 a modular compaction boring device comprising:
 a boring head to compress the subsurface; 
 a first anchor; 
 a second anchor; and 
 a thrust module comprising a thrust member disposed between the first anchor and the second anchor, and a first section and a second section, wherein the first section is moveable relative to the second section to push the head in response to operation of the thrust section, and wherein the first anchor and second anchor exert a force on the subsurface having a component which is parallel to a length of the modular compaction boring device when the thrust module is not moving. 
 
 
     
     
       44. An apparatus for boring through a subsurface comprising:
 a modular compaction boring device comprising:
 a forward anchor module comprising an extendable anchor arm; 
 an aft anchor module comprising an extendable anchor arm; 
 an extendable and retractable thrust module disposed between the forward anchor module and the aft anchor module; 
 a rotatable boring head disposed proximate the forward anchor module; and 
 a rotation module, wherein the rotation module causes relative rotation between the boring head and the aft anchor module, and wherein the rotation module and thrust module are independently operable; 
 
 an electrical power source; 
 a controller for directing extension of the extendable anchor arm of the forward anchor module and the aft anchor module, directing extension and retraction of the thrust module, and rotation of the boring head; and 
 an umbilical cable comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the umbilical cable provides power from the electrical power source to the modular compaction boring device. 
 
     
     
       45. A compaction boring device comprising:
 a frame comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is reciprocally moveable axially relative to the second end; 
 an extendable anchor supported within the frame extendable from a first position to a second position; 
 a boring head connected to the first end of the frame, wherein the first end of the frame is rotatable relative to the second end to manipulate an orientation of the head; and 
 a rotation module configured to cause rotation of the first end relative to the second end of the frame, wherein the rotation module and thrust module are independently operable.